


Propositions

by Ekokai



Series: Bodyheat [2]
Category: The Pretender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-08
Updated: 2012-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-01 16:39:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/359021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ekokai/pseuds/Ekokai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Several months after the events in Bodyheat, Jarod shows up seeking answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Propositions

The night air was warm and humid, scented with cherry blossoms from the old orchard behind the two-story, stone cottage. Jarod stepped carefully through the thick shrubbery surrounding the back deck and looked around. The in-ground pool was bathed in a soft, multicolored light from hanging lanterns and he could see evidence of recent occupation. A towel lay on a lounge chair and wet footprints led from the ladder to the cottage's door.

With the crickets chirping their encouragement, he edged along the shrubs until he came to a window. Looking in, he was disappointed to find an empty room. Jarod glanced warily around the pool area again and headed for the door. His steps were cautious and he hesitated for a moment when a board from the redwood deck creaked beneath his foot.

The noise seemed louder than it actually was and the crickets stopped for a few seconds before continuing their nocturnal serenade. Jarod realized he was holding his breath and exhaled slowly as he reached for the screen door. Before he could open it, there was a clicking noise behind him and he froze, instantly recognizing that familiar sound. Jarod slowly raised his hands to show he was unarmed and turned around.

"That's a pretty big smile for someone who just threw away the rest of his life," Miss Parker informed him, her weapon aimed at the middle of his chest.

Jarod had been waiting for this moment for three months, ever since she had allowed him to escape from Raines. Nothing was going to spoil it. He looked from the gun to her and lowered his arms. She took a precautionary step back, a million questions racing through her mind.

He couldn't seem to wipe the stupid grin off of his face. Even in a thick robe with her damp hair hanging in tangles, he still found her to be incredibly sexy. He unconsciously licked his lips as his eyes roamed along her body, or what he could see of it, and she took yet another step back.

Miss Parker watched Jarod undressing her with his eyes and realized why he was here. She lowered the gun, raising her free hand to her face, suddenly quite warm and a little light-headed. As she swayed a bit, Jarod quickly stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, his other hand taking the gun from her before she dropped it. He looked around, making certain they were alone, then picked her up and carried her into the cottage.

He had been in her home after escaping from the Centre. He had come here thinking she might help him, but had to change his plans when he overheard her on the phone, agreeing to track him down. She had left for the Centre immediately and he had stayed until dark, roaming from room to room, looking for anything that he could use against her later.

He passed through the den and into the living room where he set her down on the sofa. He moved unerringly to the bar and poured her a drink, wondering if he should have one too, then deciding against it. He hadn't had anything to eat in days and was running on almost no sleep. One drink would hit his system like a freight train.

Miss Parker reached for the glass as he approached her and quickly looked him over in the light. She definitely approved of his black jeans and white T-shirt, especially the way the soft cotton molded itself to him. He looked like he had lost a few pounds since their last encounter, but she wasn't going to complain about it.

"Why did you come here?" she asked, afraid she already knew the answer.

Jarod sat in front of her on the edge of an oak coffee table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.  
"We have to talk," he told her in no uncertain terms. 

"Do you want to talk about how long it will take a sweeper team to get over here to pick you up?" she inquired, hoping he would just get up and leave. She should be so lucky.

He had gone over this conversation, simulated it dozens of times, yet he suddenly found himself fumbling for the words. There was only one way to handle this; he had to just say it fast and be done.

Jarod looked down for a moment, hoping he wasn't about to make a huge mistake. "I wanted to tell you....that I know what you did."

Parker barely managed to keep her expression neutral. Maybe he was going to say something else and she could have a good laugh over it later. She cleared her throat and looked at him. "What I did?"

"With Raines and the drugs," Jarod replied, hoping she would catch on, realizing he was going to have to say it all.  
"I know you lied about our time in the cabin. I know it really happened and I know you tried to convince me it didn't. What I don't know, is why? I need to know why."

Miss Parker had hoped this day would never come and now that it did she suddenly wished it had happened sooner. It would have saved them both a lot of heartache. She looked at the untouched drink in her hand and set it down on the table beside her.

"How did you find out?" she asked softly, not daring to look at him.

Jarod chuckled and took her hands in his, running a finger over the tips of her nails.

"Imaginary lovers don't leave scratches," he told her simply.

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting and both wanting to know what the other was thinking before revealing their own motives.

"Why did you lie to me?" he asked again. "I thought maybe--"

"I know what you were thinking, Jarod," she cut him off. "Before the sweepers showed up you were thinking that maybe I wouldn't want to chase you anymore. You were thinking we belonged together. After Raines came, you were thinking that if you were in the Centre, we could still be together." She looked at him intently. "Isn't that right?"

"Well, I'll admit I wasn't thinking about escape as hard as I should have been. And I'll admit being in the Centre wouldn't have been so bad with you there..." his voice trailed off as he realized it had been a bad idea coming here. Just because he thought about her day and night for the past three months, didn't mean she was pining away for him.

Jarod stood up, deciding it was a good idea to leave as quickly as possible. She reached up and grabbed his arm.  
"Where do you think you're going?"

He looked at the hand on his arm and felt her warmth burning into him like a brand. His mind started to cloud and he shook his head to clear it.

"Away from here. This was a mistake."

She looked at him closely for the first time, noticing things she's missed earlier. He looked exhausted. The few pounds she thought he lost was more like ten, his hair was a bit longer and he was more than just a tad on the dirty side.  
"When was the last time you ate or slept?"

He looked at her oddly, wondering how the conversation changed so fast.

"I ate this morning," he lied. He hadn't been especially hungry lately. He found the less he slept, the less he ate and he hadn't slept more than a few hours a night for several weeks.

Parker had already made her decision and hoped she wouldn't regret it in the morning. Taking him by the hand she led him to the kitchen and sat him on a chair at the breakfast bar. She had one food item in the refrigerator that no man could pass up and as she pulled it out she noted the happy expression on Jarod's face.

"Cold pizza! I love that," he told her unnecessarily. He opened the box as she set a can of pop next to him and sat down.  
She watched him eat as she tried to decide if this was a good idea or if she was letting her heart make her decisions for her. She didn't have a lot of practice doing that, so this was all new territory for her.

She was deep in thought when she noticed Jarod had stopped eating and was almost asleep in his seat. She stood up quietly then went around the house locking the doors, pulling curtains and turning off lights before she returned to the kitchen and took Jarod by the arm.

"Come on," she told him as he rose to follow her. She led him up the stairs to the guest room then stopped in the doorway as she noticed something.

"Uh...when was the last time you had a bath?" she asked as politely as she could.

Jarod was awake enough to look embarrassed, but just barely. "Would you believe today?"

"I wouldn't believe this week. Shower first, sleep later," she told him.

"No. Sleep now. I couldn't even undress much less wash. I might drown," he threatened. "How would you explain that to your father?"

"You are not getting in that clean bed like this."

"No problem. I'll sleep on the floor," he offered, suddenly so tired that sleeping on a bed of nails would have appealed to him.

She led him down the hall to the bathroom and started the water in the tub. Jarod leaned against the wall with his eyes closed while she got out a new bar of soap and towels and set them on the sink. When the tub was full she turned off the water and started to go, but one look at him sleeping against the wall and she knew she couldn't leave.

"Okay, you win," she told him resignedly.

"Oh, good. Bed?"

"No...bath. But you're right, you'll probably drown and I don't have room in the yard to hide anymore bodies. If you promise to behave, I'll make sure you survive the tub."

Jarod smiled and reached for her. "As much as I'd love to have you right here, I honestly couldn't."

"Smelling like that, I'd shoot you first anyway," she grimaced, stepping back from him again.

She lowered the lid on the toilet and sat him down then bent to remove his boots and socks, tossing them out the open door. He was pulling his shirt from the waist of his pants when she looked up and he stopped.

"Sorry," he apologized, "was this your job?"

Without answering she took the shirt from his hands and pulled it off over his head, adding it to the pile in the hall.  
"Stand up," she told him as she got to her feet.

He glanced down at his lap then back to her. "I think I am," he told her, then promptly blushed.

"What are you, sixteen?" she asked, exasperated. Taking his hands, she pulled him to his feet. "I told you to behave yourself."

"What did I do?" he asked innocently, trying to suppress a yawn. This was definitely not a good time to fall asleep. He never should have eaten. He was doing fine until his stomach was full and now it felt like his entire body was encased in lead.

Jarod managed to control himself while she unzipped his pants and let them drop to the floor but when her fingers slipped in between his skin and the elastic of his underwear, he had to stop her.

"Problem?" she asked as his hands gripped hers at his waist.

"I think I can handle it from here," he told her softly, avoiding eye contact.

"Do you have something new I haven't seen yet?" she asked teasingly as she noticed the bulge beneath the soft, cotton briefs.

She watched Jarod close his eyes as he thought about anything but her hands on him. When he had himself under control he quickly removed his briefs and stepped into the tub. As he sank down into the warm water, he let out a deep sigh and leaned his head back against the cool tile, closing his eyes. He was contemplating spending the night right there when a splash in the water forced his eyes open.

"Soap, then sleep," Miss Parker ordered. She perched on the edge of the tub and reached for a bottle of shampoo in the shower rack. She had already grabbed a cup off the sink and when she turned toward Jarod again she almost laughed. He was staring at the soap she had tossed him with wide-eyed fascination as it floated around the tub.

He looked up at her then back at the bar of Ivory.

"My soap never did that," he told her as he poked it with his finger, trying to make it sink.

"It's soap, Jarod, not the Holy Grail," she told him dryly. "Let's hurry up with this before the water gets cold."

Jarod continued to play with the soap as she dumped water over his head then added shampoo, slowly massaging it into his scalp. She was enjoying the feel of him under her hands again when the soap shot out of Jarod's hand, slammed into the wall and bounced back into the water with a tremendous splash.

He looked up at her sheepishly as she used her arm to wipe the water off her face.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking away from her less-than-amused expression.

He could feel her staring at him and he looked up at her again.

"It's very slippery," he offered as an explanation.

She shook her head and started dumping clean water on him to rinse his hair.

"Now I know what it's like to have a three-year-old," she complained.

Once she was finished rinsing, Jarod looked around and reached for the bar of soap but she grabbed it before he could.  
"This is not a toy," she admonished as she lathered up a washcloth. If he was going to stay a while, maybe she'd get him a rubber duck or something. She shook her head, trying to get that thought out. He couldn't stay, it was too dangerous. All he was going to get from her was a good night's sleep and then he had to leave.

She handed him the soapy cloth then immediately took it away again as he yawned and his eyes started to close. Maybe this tub thing wasn't such a good idea. She reached under the water and pulled the plug. As the water started to drain, Jarod opened his eyes.

"Done? Good," he mumbled sleepily.

"No, we're not done," she told him as she urged him to his feet. "Just a change of strategy."

She turned him around and quickly washed his back and down his legs as the water finished draining. Turning him again she ran the cloth up and down both arms and across his chest, noticing once more how much thinner he had become as she felt his ribs beneath her fingers. She washed down as far as his abdomen then started on the front of his legs.

"I guess only parts of me were dirty," came a voice from above her. "Getting shy on me?"

She looked up and saw the devilish gleam in his eyes and knew he was challenging her. She dropped the washcloth into the tub and turned on the shower to rinse him off. As she watched the suds slide away she picked up the bar of soap and worked it into a thick, rich lather in her hands, her lips curled in anticipation.

Jarod turned the water off and looked at her expectantly. He was suddenly quite awake and wondering if she was up to his challenge. He was forced to assume she was when he felt a slick, soapy hand start to massage his balls as the other gently began stroking his growing erection.

Miss Parker loved the feeling of him coming to life in her hands. She heard a soft groan escape his lips as he put his hands on her shoulders to steady himself. She continued stroking him while moving her other hand between his legs and applying pressure so he would part them for her. When she had more room, she began exploring the sensitive skin behind his testicles then ran a soapy finger between his cheeks.

Jarod felt his heart skip a beat when her warm finger slid inside him. She looked into his startled eyes to gauge his reaction was to this new experience but she got most of her information from her other hand as he became harder and his grip on her shoulders increased dramatically.

She probed deeper, searching for the spot she knew was there and knowing she found it when Jarod's knees almost buckled and he swore, immediately coming over and over in her hand.

Miss Parker was quite pleased with herself as she turned the shower on again and directed the water onto Jarod who was leaning against the tiled wall with his eyes closed, panting. She rinsed her hands in the spray then pulled the detachable shower-head off the wall and removed all traces of the last few minutes from his body.

Jarod heard the water turn off and opened his eyes. Miss Parker was handing him a towel and seemed especially happy.  
"Damn, I'm good," she told him as he took the towel from her and started to dry off.

"That's an understatement if I ever heard one," he told her seriously. "Were you trying to kill me or was it going to be an added benefit?"

"Kill you? I was better than I thought," she responded smugly. She watched him towel dry his hair and laughed as he modestly wrapped the damp cloth around his waist. 

"Still tired?" she asked, stepping closer to him and reaching up to run her hand along the side of his face.

Every tiny cell in Jarod's body screamed for him to say no, but he wasn't about to take the chance and fall asleep on her. He was pretty sure she would not take kindly to that.

"Would you hate me if I said yes?" he asked hesitantly. To his immense relief she smiled and took his hand, leading him back down the hall and into the guest room.

"I give up," she told him, the smile in her voice letting him know she wasn't mad. She grabbed the end of his towel and yanked it free while pulling back the covers. "Go to bed."

"Oh, thank you, " he groaned, sinking down onto the soft mattress. 

She pulled the blanket over him and reached for the light on the nightstand, noticing he was already asleep. Very carefully, she leaned over him and kissed his lips, soaking up the feel of him and the clean, soapy scent. She left the bedroom door open and went back down the hall to the bathroom. Striping off her robe and the swimsuit she still wore under it, she stepped into the shower and turned on the cold water. As the icy blast hit her, she tried to force all the images of Jarod's naked body from her mind. She just hoped there was enough cold water. 

 

Miss Parker was dozing fitfully when she heard a thud on the wall between her room and Jarod's. She opened her eyes and waited, unsure as to what caused it. A few moments later there was another thud, louder this time and followed by a muffled groan. She threw back the covers and grabbed her gun off the night stand then ran quietly into the hall.

She looked into his room, illuminated softly by moonlight through the window, and quickly determined there were no intruders. She entered and set her weapon on the dresser before tiptoeing toward the bed.

Jarod lay sleeping on his back, one arm across his face and the other flung out to the side against the wall. The blankets had been kicked away and he was twisted up in the sheets.

She took another step and kicked something soft on the floor. Bending down, she picked up the pillow and shook her head. She set the pillow beside him on the bed in case he woke up looking for it and was turning to leave when there was another thud.  
Jarod had swung his arm against the wall again and was kicking his legs in the tangled sheets. Mumbling incoherently in his sleep, he appeared to be in the grip of a nightmare.

Cautiously, Miss Parker approached the bed.

"Jarod?" she whispered, wanting to wake him but not scare him to death.

He continued to fight whatever demons were tormenting him and she spoke louder, calling his name again.

Jarod's eyes snapped open and he sat up, only partially awake and ready to yell before he realized where he was. He looked around and saw her standing beside the bed, a worried look on her face.

Miss Parker watched him look around and noticed he was still disoriented and, even worse, shaking with fear. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him and rubbing his back comfortingly. He held on to her tightly, his head resting on her shoulder, his breathing ragged. 

She knew, of course, that this was a fairly typical night for him. The nightmares had plagued him off and on his entire life and would probably always be there. She remembered sneaking a look at his medical file shortly after he had escaped. There didn't appear to be a single drug that Sydney hadn't tested to give Jarod a decent night's sleep. All tried, all failed.  
Jarod felt the terror from the nightmare begin to melt away under her touch. As he began to relax, his breathing returned to normal and the need to sleep pressed down on him. He released his death grip on her and pushed himself back, leaning against the headboard.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed she had seen him like this. He saw the fire ignite in her eyes.

"Sorry for what, Jarod? For being human?" She wanted to say more, but this wasn't the time; a thought had occurred to her. When she was with him at the cabin, he didn't have a single nightmare.

She stood up and tugged at the sheet that was still wrapped around his legs, pulled it free and grabbed his hand, urging him to get up.

"Am I leaving?" he asked, only half jokingly.

"You need sleep and I think I know the only way you're going to get it," she told him. She picked up his pillow and led him out of his room and into hers.

Miss Parker pushed Jarod into her bed and he scooted over to the side against the wall. She tossed him the pillow and he shoved it under his head as he watched her get in beside him. She covered them both with the blanket then turned to find him staring at her.

"Your idea is to have me kick apart this bed with you in it?" he guessed, his eyes starting to blur with exhaustion.  
She smiled and snuggled up against him, his arms automatically encircling her.

"I remembered you didn't have nightmares at the cabin. I wondered if it was because you weren't alone."

Jarod opened his eyes and looked at her, surprised she had not only remembered that, but wanted to try it. He adjusted her weight in his arms and sighed as she nuzzled against his bare chest, then drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep. 

 

Miss Parker awoke to find herself half laying on top of Jarod as the sun streamed in the window accusingly, telling her she had overslept. She carefully detached herself from him and rolled over, grabbing the alarm clock and holding it up to her face.

"Oh, shit," she muttered. She was supposed to have been at work two hours ago. It was amazing nobody had called her yet.  
As if by magic, the phone on the night stand rang. She snatched it up on the first ring, but it had already awakened Jarod.  
"What?" she demanded, trying to sound normal while her naked companion crawled over her and left the room.

"Uh...Miss Parker?" Broots asked hesitantly.

"Well it's not the Easter bunny," she responded sarcastically. "What do you want?" She almost felt bad for him. It had  
probably taken him the last hour to work up the guts to call her at home.

"Everyone's been down here looking for you. Sydney wanted me to make sure you weren't sick or....or something," he finished  
weakly. 

She almost smiled. Yes, she was 'or something', all right. "I overslept and I'll be there when I get there," she told him, then hung up before he could say anything else. She wandered out of the room in search of Jarod and found him getting dressed in the guest room.

"Yuck. I was going to wash that stuff today," she told him, noticing how much worse the clothes looked in the daylight.  
He looked at her and smiled. 

"And what was I supposed to wear?" he asked, pulling the dirty T-shirt over his head.

"Who said you had to wear anything?" 

Jarod raised his eyebrows at her less than subtle comment as he sat on the bed and started putting his boots on.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, praying he wasn't going to leave just yet.

He nodded his head and her heart sank. "I left my stuff not far from here. I have to move it."

She wanted to ask if his 'stuff' included the DSA's, but thought that sounded too much like a Centre question.  
"It isn't safe for you to be roaming around in the daylight, Jarod. There are too many people in the area who work for my father."

"You're telling me? I came the last five miles through the woods so nobody would see me." He stopped and looked at her,  
amused. "Did you think I was always that filthy?" he asked teasingly.

"Well, I had wondered about that," she told him, still dying to ask about the DSA's. She no longer wanted to take them from him, but she wanted to make sure they were safe. As the thought entered her head, she dismissed it. Of course they were safe;  
Jarod was taking care of them.

She still didn't like the idea of him wandering around in the daylight but knew there was nothing she could say to stop him.  
"At least let me fix breakfast first," she bargained. "How about an omelet?"

Jarod's head snapped up and he looked truly horrified. She knew instantly what he was thinking and smiled at him  
reassuringly. "Yes, I remember the last one I fixed made you sick, but it wasn't my fault," she claimed, following him as he hurriedly left the room. With any luck, he could leave before she started to cook.

"I wasn't used to cooking on a wood stove, Jarod," she insisted, trying to catch up to him as he bounded down the stairs.

He shuddered at the memory of the dark brown and black mush she had called 'food', and he stopped, turning to look at her.  
"I'll fix breakfast for us if you promise never to threaten to cook for me again," he offered.

She stopped and crossed her arms over her chest, pretending to pout. "Never? So, you'll fix every meal no matter how long we have together?"

"Yes."

She smiled and turned to go back upstairs.

"Great! Don't forget that the cook also does the dishes," she called over her shoulder.

Jarod watched her run up the stairs and shook his head. He should have seen that one coming.

As he moved around the kitchen getting breakfast ready, Jarod wondered again if this had been one of his better ideas. He had  
been thinking of contacting her by e-mail ever since he'd realized what she had done for him. She must have had a hell of a time explaining to Raines how the shackles had magically jumped off of his prisoner and onto her. Jarod had even thought about kidnapping her when she showed up for one of her half-hearted attempts at capturing him. He had stayed in the shadows after one job, watching her and Sydney interrogate his latest employer. Miss Parker was in prime bitch mode while asking where Jarod had stayed and what he had done, demanding answers be given instantly. The poor guy was so rattled that Sydney suggested they go in the building to finish their conversation without her. Jarod had watched as Miss Parker seemed to deflate, all the fight going out of her. She looked around and Jarod sank back, deeper in the shadows. 

He almost missed it, but as she turned to get in the car, she looked up at the sky and smiled. "Run fast , Jarod. Run fast and run far."

A tap on his shoulder brought Jarod's wandering mind back to the present and he turned around to find Miss Parker dressed for  
work.

"Ready to eat?" he asked, taking her by the arm and steering her toward the table.

"What did you make? Omelets?" she asked teasingly.

Jarod looked at her in mock horror.

"Never say that word again. The memory is too terrifying."

"Once again, that was not my fault." she reminded him, but let it drop as he lowered a plate in front of her. She looked down at the food, blinked and looked again. Yep. That's what she saw the first time. She looked across the table at Jarod who was now seated and rearranging the food on his plate.

"Um...what is this?" she asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear his explanation.

He looked up, confused at her question. Surely she recognized good food when she saw it.

"Pancakes. Never had them?"

She looked at her plate again and poked at the food with her fork.

"Jarod, pancakes are round and they do not, repeat, do not...have faces and ears."

He looked down at his plate where his Mickey Mouse pancake stared up at him with blueberry eyes, nose and mouth.  
"This is the way I learned to make them," he told her, grabbing one of the eyes and popping it in his mouth.  
"Learned where?" she asked suspiciously.

He smiled and reached for the syrup, watching her face.

"I was a cook in the pancake house at Disneyland."

"Ask a stupid question....." she mumbled to herself as she hesitantly started eating Mickey's ear.

They ate their food in silence, casting furtive looks at each other throughout the meal. Surprisingly, Miss Parker finished first and Jarod watched her rinse her plate before setting it in the sink.

"Look, Jarod, we really have to talk about everything that happened with the cabin and Raines, but I have to go to work right now before someone decided to show up here."

"I know. And I know you think that there's a good chance that when you get home I will be gone."

"Will you?" she asked quickly, annoyed with herself by the desperate tone that had seeped into her voice.

"No. I'll be right here, waiting with dinner ready," he assured her, pleased to see she immediately relaxed; until her stuck his foot in his mouth. "Will you be alone or will you have a sweeper team with you?"

As the words left his mouth he saw the hurt look in her eyes. Damn! Why did he say that?

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, reaching for her and feeling even worse when she stepped back, away from his touch. "I don't know why I said that. I know you had nothing to do with those sweepers at the cabin and it was a bad joke but I was just kidding..." His rambling explanation dried up when he saw her smile as she realized he'd truly been joking.

"I'll be alone and starving around seven. I'd like something that doesn't stare at me while I'm eating it," she informed him.  
Picking up her purse from the counter she slung it over her shoulder before turning to leave. Jarod watched her take a few steps then stop. She seemed to be struggling with a decision before she turned around and crossed the room to where Jarod had just stood up.

"Forget something?" 

"Just in case," she told him as she captured his lips with her own. Before he even had a chance to return the favor, she slipped out the back door and was gone. 

________________________________________  
Jarod waited at the bay window in the front of the house until her car was down the road and around the corner. As much as he wanted to trust her, there was a part of him that still believed she might turn him in, given the right incentive; like the DSA's. Jarod hurried to the back of the house and out the door to the pool area. He looked around for any signs of visitors before hopping the fence and running into the woods. 

________________________________________  
Miss Parker drove to the Center on auto-pilot. Her eyes were on the road but her mind was on Jarod. After months of dreaming about him showing up on her doorstep, the reality of him doing just that was beginning to sink in. If this was a year ago, she would have him in handcuffs in her back seat, or, better yet, the trunk, and the DSA's sitting next to her. She would have taken him to the Center, dropped him off and never given a thought to what was going to happen to him next. Well, that ship had sailed.

She wasn't certain exactly when she had decided that Jarod must be free at all costs. It might have started with the discovery of the files in SL-27 when she and Sydney had found the papers that proved Jarod had been stolen from his parents. It might have been when Sydney pulled out a black hood and casually remarked that it had been Jarod's. But, most likely, it was the time she had spent with him in the cabin. It was watching the DSA's that had been her downfall. Nobody should have to spend a lifetime like that. 

________________________________________  
Jarod made his way through the woods, back-tracking his steps from the previous night. Now that he could see more than a few feet in any direction, he caught himself enjoying the scenery rather than paying attention to his surroundings. Shaking himself out of his reverie he examined the area closely before making his way behind a pile of boulders, remnants of a river that used to flow through the woods before Blue Cove was developed and the river dammed.

As he pulled the case from its hiding place, Jarod heard a gunshot to his left. He dropped down beside the largest boulder, his heart pounding. Looking around he saw nowhere to hide. If he made a run for it now, he'd be out in the open and an easy  
target. He was running escape sims when there was a flurry of movement in the brush and a doe burst into view, heading straight for him. The frightened animal spotted Jarod and broke to the right, disappearing again in a matter of seconds, leaving him awestruck. Jarod was still trying to catch another look at the animal when he heard human footsteps running toward him. Suddenly, he understood. 

________________________________________  
The house was dark when Miss Parker arrived home that evening. It worried her for a moment as she wondered if Jarod had left, then she realized she was being stupid. Of course he wouldn't turn the lights on. That would attract attention. She got out of the car as the garage door dropped down behind her and she remembered the bag on the passenger seat.  
The last minute stop at the grocery store had been a lot more fun that she would have thought. Roaming up and down the aisles looking for things that she thought Jarod might like had been the highlight of her day, but that wasn't saying much. She had arrived at work late and in a bad mood that was added to by Sydney badgering her all day about why she was late.  
Parker entered the house from the garage and hit the switch that was set up to turn on various lights throughout the house, just in case. She went down the short hall to the kitchen and set the bag on the counter, all the while expecting Jarod to be waiting for her. 

"If you left I'm going to kill you," she muttered to herself as she looked around. The breakfast dishes had been done and not a sign of another inhabitant was present. She was passing the door to the back deck when it opened and Jarod stuck his head into the room.

"Ready?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Ready for what?"

"Dinner. Your table is waiting."

He took he hand and led her outside. She looked around slowly, savoring his accomplishment. The multicolored lanterns were lit and the sides of the pool were lined with candles. Covered trays of food were on the patio table along with a bottle of her favorite champagne, chilling in a silver ice bucket.

Jarod pulled out a chair and guided her into it before removing the covers from the food. As he moved to sit down himself, she noticed for the first time what he was wearing.

"My God, you look good enough to eat in that suit," she practically growled at him.

Jarod smiled, pleased she liked it. He had risked a lot going to the next town to buy everything he needed. Not one of his better ideas, but he'd wanted tonight to be perfect for what he had in mind.

"Sorry," he told her. "I'm not on the dinner menu." 

He looked over at her and she swore his eyes darkened, just a bit.

"Maybe you'll have better luck with dessert."

"Count on it," she promised. Looking down at her meal, her mouth watered in anticipation, but she was no longer thinking of food.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Jarod asked how her day was. Parker laughed, taking a drink before explaining.

"Some bozo in tech support was out hunting illegally this morning and he ran across an animal rights fanatic who took his gun and chased him through the woods while he fired at the idiots feet." 

She was laughing at the story and it took her a minute to realize Jarod was not laughing with her and had paled noticeably.  
Parker shook her head slowly, looking at Jarod.

"You didn't," she stated, certain Jarod wouldn't have taken such a risk. When she realized the truth she could do nothing but stare at him.

"Oh my God. You did," she accused, knowing now she was right. "Jarod, how could you do something so reckless?"  
Jarod finished chewing his food then slowly took a drink. Parker was ready to grab the glass from his hand when he finally put it down and cleared his throat.

"I wasn't shooting at his feet, just in his general direction," he replied sheepishly. "I don't know why it didn't occur to me that he might work at the Centre. The animal was scared and I just thought the jerk would like a firsthand simulation of this morning’s events from the deer's point of view." 

Jarod looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "What would you have done?"

Parker thought about it for a moment before taking his hand and standing up, urging Jarod to his feet as well. She stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I would have chased him too, but I wouldn't have missed. I just wish you had been a little more....discreet."

"I'll never do that again," he promised. When she looked at him in disbelief he held up two fingers. "Scouts honor."

Parker was just about to tell him he had never been a scout, then thought better of it. For all she knew, he had been a scout master recently. Besides, she had grown tired of this particular conversation.

"What did you have planned for the rest of the evening?" she asked, praying he had something in mind, knowing he did.  
Jarod quickly claimed her mouth with his own and she felt herself melting into him, thinking she could spend the rest of her life like this. All too soon, he pulled away, leaving her breathless.

Jarod looked out at the pool, the flickering light from the ring of candles dancing on the still water.

"I was thinking about a swim," he told her as he deftly removed her suit jacket.

"But we just ate," she protested weakly, joking about the old wives tale.

"You're in luck then," he assured her as she felt her skirt unzip and fall to her feet. "I used to be a lifeguard."  
He had her blouse unbuttoned and off before she could search her mental file on him, coming up empty on the lifeguard. She stopped his hands as he reached around her to unhook her bra while he toed off his own shoes and socks.

"You were never a lifeguard," she claimed, reaching up to remove his tie.

He didn't answer as he paid close attention to her as she continued to separate him from his own clothing. His suit jacket quickly followed the tie and she was halfway through the buttons on his shirt before he remembered she'd spoken.

"Umm, what did you say?" he asked. The last button popped free and she ran her hands up his chest to his shoulders, brushing his shirt back and off as she went.

"You were never a lifeguard," she repeated, letting her hands trail back down his bare skin to his waist.

"It was only for a day last month," he replied, his throat suddenly dry as her fingers undid the button on his pants then found the zipper. "It was a nude beach and I got a baaaad sunburn."

He saw her eyes sparkle as his pants dropped and he stepped out of them.

"I hope there was no.....permanent damage," she told him, barely containing her laughter at the mental picture she had.  
"It wasn't funny," he insisted, but he couldn't resist the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Well, I guess it's funny now, but it wasn't then."

"Oh, you poor baby," she consoled him, her lips on his, her hands on his chest. "The best thing for a sunburn is to keep the area coooool."

He knew what she was going to do, he just knew it too late to stop her. She pushed him back and into the pool with a splash that sent waves to the other end where they sloshed up on the deck.

She laughed as he disappeared under the water and wondered how long it would take him to retaliate. As the surface of the water calmed down she stepped closer, expecting Jarod to jump out of the water at her. The light from the lanterns made it almos impossible to see what was going on beneath the surface, but she figured Jarod was swimming under water to the other end of the pool. Of course, it was taking him a long time.

"Jarod?" She bent down, closer to the water, looking for him. "Jarod!"

Suddenly he erupted from the pool directly in front of her, grabbed her arms and pulled her in, laughing at the startled expression on her face before she went under.

Jarod kept his hand on her arm and dragged her back to the surface immediately, ready for her to seek vengeance, but was surprised to see a broad smile on her face.

Blinking the water from her eyes, Parker gave Jarod a playfully evil look.

"Oh, you will regret that as soon as I can come up with something appropriate," she warned him.

Jarod cupped the side of her face with his hand and leaned forward for a brief kiss.

"Promises, promises." 

________________________________________  
Mr. Raines' office  
0500 Hours

"Are you sure?" Raines wheezed, leaning over the terrified man.

Gus Carter swallowed audibly and nodded his head.

"Yes, Sir, Mr. Raines. I'm sure. It was him all right. Chased me through the woods, shooting at me with my own gun. I think he was trying to kill me," the tech insisted. His story got better and better every time he told it.

Raines straightened and looked at the photograph in his hand.

"If Jarod had wanted you dead, then you'd be dead. Make no mistake about it."

Carter nodded his head vigorously and committed that bit of info to memory for the next time he told the story. He watched as Raines tossed the photo on the desk and picked up the phone.

"Get my personal sweeper team here. Now." 

________________________________________  
The Cottage  
0600 Hours

Jarod awoke to the sensation of a hand running lightly along his chest then slowly drifting further south. He fought to keep his eyes closed and his breathing regular, feigning sleep, but was quickly thwarted when he felt himself enveloped by the hand.

"Ah...I knew you were awake." Miss Parker sounded very pleased with herself and he hated to burst her bubble, but if she kept doing what she was doing, he was going to have a real problem.

"Sorry, Sweetie, that's not for you," he told her, grabbing her hand and turning to face her. He leaned in for a kiss and she pulled back.

"Sweetie?" she asked incredulously. "Why not just call me 'Little Pun'kin' and get it over with?"

Jarod smiled and kissed her anyway before rolling over her and off the bed.

"I can come up with something better than that," he assured her as he headed for the bathroom. "After last night, I may just start calling you 'Tiger'."

He heard her laughter behind him as he quickly made use of the facilities then returned to the bedroom. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was only four hours since they had fallen into an exhausted sleep after making love all night. Jarod smiled at the memory of how they'd had each other in the pool, on the deck, the kitchen and living room before finally making it upstairs to the bedroom. It wasn't something he would soon forget, but he hoped to recover from it within the next few hours.

He was about to ask her if she was ready for breakfast, but Parker had already drifted off again. Jarod carefully climbed back into bed and lay down, smiling when she automatically sought him out in her sleep and snuggled against him. If he had his way, and he planned to, this was going to become something that happened every morning for the rest of their lives. 

________________________________________  
Sydney's Office  
1100 Hours

 

Sydney leaned back in his chair and watched Miss Parker doodle on her notebook. They had been going over the remains from Jarod's last lair for the past hour and every time Sydney had mentioned Jarod's name, Parker had smiled ever so slightly. Most people wouldn't have noticed, but Sydney had long suspected the Ice Princess wasn't as cold as she wanted everyone to think.

"Miss Parker? Did you hear me?" Sydney asked, drawing the first response from her in the last ten minutes.  
Parker's head snapped up and she looked around to make sure they were still alone.

"You say something, Syd?" she asked as she closed the notebook. Without waiting for an answer she stood up and tucked the book under her arm. "Are we finished?"

Sydney smiled and nodded his head. "I guess we could do this tomorrow when your mind isn't a million miles away," he offered.  
'More like ten miles,' Parker thought, but she was glad to be getting out from under Sydney's intense scrutiny. Every time he had speculated on Jarod's next location, she worried Jarod was already gone. By the time she convinced herself he was at the cottage, the conversation had changed and she was lost again.

"You don't seem yourself today, Miss Parker," Sydney observed. "Perhaps you should call it a day and go home. There's nothing happening here."

She was just about to agree with him when the sound of running footsteps and Broots' excited voice assailed their ears. They turned toward the door in unison as Broots entered the room at breakneck speed.

"Sydney! Miss Parker!" he screamed, even though he was standing just a few feet from the duo, panting for breath.

Sydney stood up and put a hand on Broots' shoulder to steady him.

"Calm down, Mr. Broots, before you burst something."

"Awww, leave him alone, Syd. I'd like to see that," Miss Parker sneered.

Broots shook his head and took a deep breath before looking Sydney in the eye.

"A call just came in. From Mr. Raines."

"That's not news," Parker mumbled, but Broots ignored her.

"Sydney. He caught Jarod. They're bringing him in and Raines has ordered all of SL-23 cleared out then locked down as soon they arrive."

Sydney looked at Miss Parker for her reaction and was stunned when she paled noticeably before sitting down.

"Are you all right?" he asked, moving toward her, concerned that she was going to faint.

Parker waved him off and stood up.

"I'm fine." She looked at the two men then easily slipped into her "Miss Parker persona'. "Let's go greet Frankenboy." 

________________________________________  
The Tower  
One hour later

 

Mr. Parker looked up as his furious daughter stormed into his office unannounced. Before he had a chance to brush her off he was hit with her anger full force and saw firsthand why most of the staff was terrified of her.

"How could you let that monster have Jarod after what he's done to every other project he's ever had?" she demanded to know before the doors had even closed behind her.

Mr. Parker opened his mouth to speak, but it was apparently not his turn yet.

"I looked for Jarod for over a year, a damn year because you said the Center needed him to continue the work he had been doing! How the hell is he supposed to continue his work when Raines is twisting him into some kind of monster like Kyle?" She  
stopped for a breath and her father jumped at the chance to break into her tirade.

"It's only temporary,--" was as far as he got before she slammed both her hands down on his desk. Mr. Parker grabbed for his coffee cup and set it on the table behind him. He had no intentions of going through the rest of the day covered in cold coffee.

"What possible reason could there be for Raines to work with Jarod? They have barely seen each other since Jarod was a child and Raines hasn't worked with any Pretenders in over 20 years. You know how Raines feels about Jarod. He's always been jealous of Sydney."

Mr. Parker didn't even get a chance to open his mouth before a heavy stone paperweight found its way into his daughters hand then flew across the room. His eyes widened in surprise at the strength in her skinny arm.

"I want to see him," she stated bluntly, the tone of her voice intended to leave no room for discussion.

"Not possible," Mr. Parker told her as he got up, intending to lead her to the door and out of his office; fat chance.

"What do you mean 'not possible'?" she asked, a coldness seeping into her voice that would have intimidated anyone else. Unfortunately, her father was immune to her theatrics.

"I assured Raines that his session with Jarod would not be interrupted; by anyone."

"Session? He was only given Jarod an hour ago. How could they be having a session?" She hoped the fear that had clamped onto her wasn't showing in her voice, but at the moment that was really the least of her worries.

"We have wasted enough time. There was no reason to waste more. Mr. Raines has convinced the Tower that he has certain...ways to get information from Jarod without resorting to violence. And, as the DSA's are still missing--"

"You don't have them?" she cut in, her relief was almost palatable. If they didn't have the DSA's, then Jarod could still bargain for his freedom, or his life.

"No, we don't," Mr. Parker replied slowly, getting a good look at his daughter for the first time. "Actually, you may be able to shed a little light on something of a mystery we have."

"Mystery?" Miss Parker repeated. "If you want me to second guess where he might have hidden them, then I'm afraid you're out of luck. I never could follow that warped brain of his."

Mr. Parker grimaced. "It would have been nice to know that before we had you spend all that time looking for him. I'm still not certain why he was able to escape your detection." 

Miss Parker turned a deaf ear to her father as he droned on about her failures of late. She had accomplished her immediate goal of getting him off the DSA subject so standing here while he disparaged her work was a small price to pay. It wasn't like she hadn't heard it all before.

"....and so now you're free to either come back to corporate or whatever you would like."

"When can I see him?" Miss Parker asked as she snapped out of her reverie, startling her father with the abrupt change.  
"See him? Why in the world would you want to see him?"

"When. Can. I. See. Him?" she enunciated each word, something she knew annoyed her father but also got her results.  
Mr. Parker looked at his watch in defeat.

"Meet me back here in 6 hours and I'll escort you down there myself."

Miss Parker glared at her father for a moment then decided not to press her luck. How much damage could Raines do in 6 hours? 

________________________________________

Miss Parker looked through the small window in the door and saw Jarod sitting on a cot against the wall. It was the only piece of furniture in the room. Jarod flinched slightly as the door opened then he stood, fighting a smile, as he recognized his visitor. 

Miss Parker did a quick, visual inventory of him, relieved to see no bruises, no broken bones; he wasn't even slightly rumpled. Her slight euphoria was short-lived when he took a step toward her with a pronounced limp. He saw her eyes widen in shock and knew what she was thinking.

"Oh my God," she mumbled, going to him. A warning look in his eyes stopped her as she remembered the room was secured with cameras.

She stood with her back to the camera, watching him.

"It's safe to talk, " she told him, knowing that her threats to Broots just about guaranteed that fact. "What happened?"

"It's okay. I don't think I've forgotten anything," he assured her, trying to sound like he meant it.

"How do you know?" she demanded. The last time Raines had used his designer drugs, Jarod's mind had become so pliable that he would have believed he owned the Centre if Raines had wanted him to.

"Well, I remember the cabin. Please tell me that was real?"

"Yes, that was real."

He briefly closed his eyes, relief washing through him.

"And the cottage?"

"Yes. I don't think you'll be in danger of losing those. Raines can only change things he knows about. Jarod, you have to tell me; where are the DSA's?"

"Why?"

"Because you told me they had to be moved. Did you do it?"

"Yes," he replied confidently, then immediately questioned himself. "I think so."

"You think?" she demanded to know. She saw the confusion in his eyes and mentally kicked herself for adding to it. She took a deep breath to calm down and tried again.

"Tell me what happened."

Jarod took a step backwards and sat on the edge of the cot, glancing up at the camera before speaking.

"I'd been out in the woods and was just heading back to the cottage when I heard the sweepers. I ran, but there were too many; at least three full teams. They dragged me back here and turned me over to Raines and he's been pretending I'm a pin cushion ever since."

"What has he asked you?" she inquired gently.

He looked up at her and saw the war in her eyes. Should she worry about him...or herself?

"Don't worry. They have no idea I've been at the cottage," he assured her, thankful when she looked relieved. "I told Raines I was headed there to try and get information out of you about my family, but hadn't seen you yet."

He shifted painfully on the cot and Parker wanted to go to him and hold him, but the camera would not allow it.

"Jarod, you have to get out of her. However you did it last time, you have to do it again. I'll help you--"

"No." Jarod cut her off. "I need you to stay out of it. Keep yourself safe." He looked up at her and grinned. "You didn't think I came here without a plan, did you?" 

________________________________________

Jarod's Cell  
Twenty Hours Later

Raines grimaced as he watched one of the sweepers inject his newest drug into Jarod's hip. He enjoyed the pained expression in the Pretender's eyes as he tugged his jeans back up and tried to sit comfortably, failing miserably. 

This newest concoction was a variation on the formula they'd used on Jarod last time, but without the suggestive powers. Raines had found through later experiments that repeated exposure to the drug eventually destroyed short term memory. As much as he hated Jarod, Raines was certain the Tower would not approve of their prize pretender being permanently incapacitated. 

In truth, these latest injections were basically stimulants and a mild form of truth serum. His basic intention was more along the lines of pain and humiliation than information at the moment. The drug was light enough that Jarod would probably not even realize it was in him until it was too late.

Jarod leaned over to his left, taking the pressure off of his opposite hip, and waited. He needed Raines to ask about the DSA's and that was the one question the man had refused to ask so far.

'Ask me, ask me, ask me...." the words ran through Jarod's head like a mantra. He was so intent on trying to force the thought into Raines' head, that when the question finally came, he almost missed it. 

________________________________________

The Cottage  
Two hours later

Miss Parker had just stepped out of her car when the sound of squealing tires made her turn and look down her long driveway. Four Centre sedans sped up to the cottage and stopped, sweepers leaping from the vehicles before they had finished moving. She was just about to demand an explanation from the nearest man when she realized he belonged to Raines' personal team.  
Parker turned her attention to the lead car and watched as the back doors opened. Raines climbed out of the passenger side as two sweepers reached in the back seat and dragged Jarod out, hands and ankles shackled. She caught Jarod's eye as he  
straightened up, then he looked away from her and surveyed the area.

"You don't mind if we cut through your property, do you Miss Parker?" Raines asked, as if it mattered whether she minded or not.

"Tell me why," she demanded with more nerve than she actually felt.

Raines gestured back toward Jarod. "He's going to take us to the DSA's." 

 

Miss Parker brought up the rear of the group being led by Jarod through the woods. He was free of the leg shackles and limping badly, but Parker had a feeling his mental faculties were completely intact. They had been tromping through the forest for almost twenty minutes and Raines was to the point where he was being helped along by a pair of sweepers. He hadn't liked the idea of Parker tagging along, but there wasn't much he could have done to stop her. All he wanted now were the DSA's, then a little time alone with Jarod to finish one of his favorite cryogenic experiments.

After another few hundred yards they passed the remains of a turn-of-the-century cabin before finally coming to a large mound of dirt and boulders where Jarod stopped.

"Here we are," he announced, leaning back on one of the large rocks.

The whole group looked around then back at Jarod.

"Here we are, where?" Miss Parker asked, trying to stay in her role as enemy number one. She looked at Raines and quickly amended that to enemy number two; the man was seething mad.

"You wanted the DSA's, and there they are." Jarod pointed to a small hole in the middle of the boulders. "All you have to do is have one of your men slide into that hole and grab the case." He smiled evilly. "Just be careful. The dirt is loose and it could cave in at any moment."

Raines matched the smile on Jarod's face.

"You'll be the one being careful," he informed him. "You put them in there, you can get them out."

Jarod held up his bound hands. "Sorry, can't oblige you like this."

The last part of his plan fell into place as one of the guards stepped forward with the key, unlocking the cuffs and shoving Jarod toward the hole.

Miss Parker had been looking around the area and it suddenly dawned on her what Jarod was up to. She swung around and caught his eye, seeing him force back the smile that said he knew she'd figured it out.

Jarod dropped down to his belly outside the hole and craned his head back to look at Raines.

"Don't go away," he instructed. "I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, Jarod forced his large frame into the small opening and disappeared. Raines stood impatiently tapping his foot. When Jarod didn't come out after a few minutes, he gestured for the sweepers to move in on the opening. Just as they reached the hole there was the unmistakable sound of a cave in and a plume of loose dirt erupted from the aperture.

Raines stared in astonishment as the mound of dirt collapsed. Most of the sweepers immediately began digging with their hands and a few moved around back of the mound to see if there was another exit. Raines watched as one of his men shook his head, indicating the hole had been the only way in, or out.

Miss Parker watched the scene unfold, taking in the conversation Raines was having on his cell phone, demanding a full-scale rescue. She wondered if it was for Jarod or the DSA's. When she was certain all the attention was focused on the disaster, she carefully made her way back to the ruins. 

________________________________________

Jarod smiled when he literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. He climbed up the rickety ladder, amazed it held his weight for a second time, and pulled himself out of the cabin's cellar.

"What took you so long?"

Jarod jumped at the voice then suddenly found his arms full of Miss Parker. He hugged her tightly, picking her up off the floor and swinging her around.

"Put me down, you idiot," she chastised him gently. He set her on her feet and kissed her, hoping it wasn't going to be for the last time.

"How did you know?" He asked after breaking off the embrace.

Parker looked up and brushed some of the dirt off his face.

"I remembered telling you about this place when we were kids. I was trying to make you jealous because I was out exploring and you couldn't go." She looked at him and shook her head. "I'm sorry I did that to you."

Jarod gave a short laugh. "I'm not. I'm just glad the information came in handy."

He looked around the ruins and pulled her against the remaining wall.

"This place is going to be swarming with Centre goons in a few minutes." He took her face in his hands. "I have to go."  
She gave him a weak smile and tried not to let him see how much this hurt, but she couldn't stop the tear that escaped and trailed down her cheek to his hand. Jarod wiped it away with his thumb and kissed her.

"I want you to come with me. Please?" he asked, the need for her to say yes was evident in his voice.

Parker was already shaking her head. 

"You know I can't do that, Jarod. I have to find out what happened to my mother--"

"I can do that," he cut her off. "I've given you most of the information you have so far and I can get more."

She knew that was the truth, but worried about Jarod's reasons for taking her with. Was she an insurance policy? A way to keep the Centre at bay? Or was she an invaluable source of information on avoiding capture again?

Jarod saw the war going on within her and guessed at the reasons. He also knew how to put a stop to it. With his hands still cupping her face, Jarod bent down and kissed her, trying to put all his feelings into the action. She returned it just as vehemently and it was a long minute before they pulled apart.

"Tell me why you want me to come with you, Jarod," she ordered calmly, praying for the answer she wanted.  
Jarod stepped back and smiled, the emotions he was feeling were visible in his eyes.

"I want you with me, because I love you and I always have," he told her softly. A moment later his arms were full of the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"Are you sure?" he asked, earning himself a swat on the arm.

Parker watched as he pulled the DSA's out from behind a pile of rubble then took his free hand. The sound of a Centre helicopter landing nearby brought a delighted smile to her lips.

"Come on, you," she told him, tugging on his hand. "I think that's our ride."

The End


End file.
